Hi, my name is Monica Baker. I am the director of examination for the IRS small business/self-employed division.  I want to provide you with an overview of our current effort to ensure accurate return preparation by paid tax return preparers. 

To support our two main goals:

• Improving the accuracy and quality of tax returns, and
• Heightening awareness of preparer responsibilities,

Letters are being sent to 10,000 tax return preparers nationwide. In addition, we will be visiting a smaller segment of those preparers who received this letter to further discuss their responsibilities and to verify compliance. Visits will begin in January and will continue through April 2011.

Let me just say that while we know most return preparers are honest and provide excellent service to their customers, some are not as diligent for various reasons. One of those reasons is simply lack of knowledge.

The preparers selected for this effort completed the types of tax returns in which the IRS has identified common errors.

Again, our goal is to confirm these tax return preparers are complying with current requirements including:

• The proper maintenance of records and
• Signing and furnishing their identifying number on returns they prepare.

In addition, we will provide information on new return preparer requirements effective for the 2011 filing season.  If we select you for a visit, an IRS representative will contact you to schedule an appointment and provide information about what you can expect during the visit. 

But even if you are not sent a letter or selected for a visit, it is important that you are aware of your responsibilities as the filing season approaches, like the new preparer tax identification number requirements that are effective for tax returns and claims for refund prepared after December 31, 2010.

So I encourage you to visit our website. There you’ll find information about this effort, the new changes and overall responsibilities for tax professionals. Just go to i-r-s dot gov slash taxpros.